Selling items used in puja

Question

Question: In our neighbourhood there is a group of sellers of perfumes and remedies who earn their living entirely by impermissible means: for example, from camphor, sindoor (red powder used in rites), idols of Ganesh, other items used in Hindu worship (?), Hindu deities. Is the livelihood earned in this way permissible or not? Kindly favour us with an answer as soon as possible.

Answer

If these sellers sell such things as are also used in the puja (worship) of non-Muslims, while the things themselves are neither impure (najis) nor unlawful (haram) — like camphor — then the price received for such things is permissible, and giving it to the mosque is valid. If, however, he trades in idols, that is forbidden.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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